Hat holder for hat boxes



July 14, 1953 `F. E. NELSON 2,645,333

HAT HOLDER FOR HAT BOXES Filed March 2. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Pana l'jWsZsofz/ July 14, 1953 P. E. NELSON .2g-645,333

HAT HOLDER FOR HAT BOXES Filed March 2, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

.Paa 'ETjWslSofL Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED l sTATEs PATENT OFFICE Paul E. Nelson,V Geneva, Ill.

Application March 2, 1949, Serial No. 79,157

This invention is directed to a hat holder for a hat box, the holder being of such design as to lend itself to independent fabrication as a complete attachableunit, or to` an identical unit that can be made out of a selected box surface as an integral part of the box without using additional box board for the formation of the holder per se.

The holder comprises a simplecompact and inexpensive unit of eiiicient operable qualities to practically and securely support or hold a hat within a hat box and centrally thereof. Preferably this unit is adapted for attachment to the inside of thecover for the purpose of suspending a hat from the cover of the hat box with only the base portion of the hat'brim disposed adjacent to the under surface of the cover. Thus the peripheral edge of the brim, the top side thereof, and the crown are positioned centrally ofthe box interior and away from the side Walls and bottom of the box since the holder is positively located by the cover when in position upon the box bottom.

The packaging of hats has always presented an ageold problem to the manufacturer that concerns supplying a customer with a hat that will reach him in the same fine finished condition that the hat is in at the time it is ready for shipment from the factory. The importance of the step of providing a hat box that will live up to the manufacturers expectations of delivering a hat to its sale source may be well emphasized by the fact that hat factories go through a great deal of time and expense to produce hats that have properly shaped brims and crowns to conform to selected styles. In the final analysis it is self-evident that-these manufacturers want their hats to reach the public in their fine ultimate condition to satisfy the customers and produce future sales.

Hat factories do go through a great deal of trouble and expense to ship hats, but invariably the methods and means used do not protect the hats properly. With all thenumerous precautions used and the material resorted to the hats are received at the retail stores or other sales sources with blemishes and marks upon the brims and crowns. It has been the practice to ship several hats in a single box, but this likewise increases the markings since the hats are nested when so shipped.

In shipping one or more hats in a box it has been the practice to use packing elements such as rings, stays, discs,` fillers, tissues, etc., or various combinations of these groups. after a great deal of care in packing hats with However,

11 Claims. (Cl. 20G-8) these packing aids, the hats are still received in marked or scuffed condition which will be inevitable so long as methods are used wherein the hat `brims or crowns are in contact with the packing materials. This unfavorable situation is multiplied where several hats are nested for shipment in one box and this method creates another problem at the store of having only one box available for several hats. `One customer will then receive a box, but several others must be satisfied with soft paper bags which can be the ruin of a hat before it reaches the closet hook.

The hat holder of this invention has been created for the purpose of eliminating the diiiiculties v noted and to provide a means by which a single hat to a box is to be shipped to the store in factory finished condition for transmittal directly to the customer who selects the hat. The customer buying the hat receives the box, and the holder has the further advantage of being collapsible so that future use thereof is optional but not necessary by the customer after the hat is purchased. Y

The holder reduces` soiling of hats by less handling since the hat may be shown by merely taking the cover off the box with the hat attached to the underside of the cover. If the color or style is not Wanted, the cover is replaced to'put the hat into its protected and dust proof position Within the box. Obviously, transparent box bottoms or covers may be used, orwindows can be resorted to in the boxbottoms if desired. And the box surface may also be used for printed matter as an advertising medium'.

With a hat box of this type no packaging materials are needed which normally clutter up store space and require handling while also adding to the lire hazards of retail stores.

Another object of the holder is to provide a means to allow the choice of shipping precreased or opencrown hats, although the latter may be hand creased at the factory since shipping by the present proposed method prevents the crown or crease froml becoming damaged in transit. The hat shape is retained.

The holder is made for the accommodation of all hat sizes and needs no adjusting or individual attention since its action is entirely automatic, and it only requires placing the hat in position for reception by the holder or manual removal of the hat therefrom to remove` the hat from the box.

Another advantage of the hat holder of the new design is its versatility of use with respect `to the type of `box used. The holder can be used in set up boxes, in folding boxes, or in any combination of the two since the holder is flat until placed in operative use to hold a hat. In each of these types of boxes the holder may be made die cut out of the body of the box material all depending upon conditions of use and upon which form is most desirable to the hat maker.

Other objects and advantages relating to the hat holder of the present construction shall hereinafter appear in the following detailed description having reference vto the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional hat box embodying a hat holder4 of the Y present invention and illustrating the holder as supporting a hat for shipment, a part of the boxVV I and holder structure being brokenaway and inbottom ofahat box; y l

Figs. 4 and Y5 are transverse cross sectional views of the holder blank as respectively viewed along the lines 4-4 and 5 5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a Vfragmentary portion of the covershowing the vholder with its ends partially raised out of the plane of the main surface of the cover, the latter being inverted with respect to its Fig. 1 position;

Fig. 7 illustrates a side elevational view of another conventional hat box having the holder secured to the base surface of the box bottom; and

Fig. 8 shows an arrangement wherein the holder is vdirectly die cut out of lan integral surface of the hat box which in this instance is cut from the large surface of the cover.

Thehatlbox shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be of any conventional shape or design but as one example comprises an octagonal box having a top I anda bottom 2, and ahat 3 is supportedfwithin the box by the holder-4, which lis secured to the inside of the top I.

For a better kunderstanding of the holder d, Figs. 3, 4 and v5 show'the die cut holder blank B made from cardboard or from comparable material that will function equally as well to produce the action of this holder. The blank B in Fig. 3 is flat and symmetrical lengthwise and crosswise, and is divided into a gluing surface forming a base 5, with legs 6, 'I and 8 connected to one end of the base 5 and with legs 9, I0 and II connectedto the other end of the base 5.

'ward each other.

lines best shown in Fig. 3. Four longitudinal slits or die cuts are made longitudinally of the blank B comprising the aligned cuts I6 and I'I, and the aligned cuts I8 and I9 with the latter parallel to the former as shown in this particular construction of hat holder 4. All the score lines are made transversely of the blank B and are indicated as 6c, 6b, .'Ia, Tb, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, Ia, Ilb, Ila, and IIb, each pair comprising the terminal ends'of vthe legs 6 to Ii' respectively with the'a figures designating thefbase ends of the legs and the b figures the tongue ends thereof. Referring to Fig. 6 it will be noted that the described legs 6 to'II are all arranged t0 moveout of the plane of the blank B pivoting about their i. respect base score lines 6a to I Ia, by which action the tongues l2 and I3 are raised and moved to- To counteract this action and tointroduce tension into this device to produce a Leg 1 is staggered outwardly from the base 5 with respect to legs 6 and-8, while each of these three legs connect with the C-shaped hat gripping tongue I2. In-the same manner leg l0 is also staggered outwardly from `the base 5 with respect to legs 9 and II, while these three legs connect with the C-shaped hat gripping tongue I3. Tongues I2 and i3 have centrally locatedrecesses I4 and I5 at their ends to avoid crushing or vderanging the hat bow while the tongues are in operative hat engaging position as a further aid in keeping the hat factory fresh and perfect in all respects.

The various described divisions of the blank B are due to the arrangement of slits and score holder having the properties hereinbefore set forth, a pair. of rubber bands 29 and 2| are used to'encircle the holder adjacent each of the leg groups atthe opposite ends of the holder 4. The complete function of the bands 2i) Vand 2 I, and the action of the holder-4 will later be explained.

The positioning of the rubberbands 20 and 2| is determined by a plurality of notches all arranged in predetermined locations chosen to create tension in certain directions and to keep the divisions of the blank B sturdy under the resilient pull of the bands. As seen in Fig. 3, aligned notches 22 and 23 are formed in the outer edges of the legs 6 and 8 at the swingable ends of these legs but offset to the leg side of the score lines A(Sb and Bb. Another pair of aligned notches 24 and 25 are formed on opposite edges of the intermediate leg 1 and adjacent the base 5 but to the leg side of thescore line 1a.

These four notches 22 to 25 form the positioning vmeans for the band-20 which is transversely looped .about theV holder 4 as best shown in Fig. 6. Similar notches 26, 21, 28 and 29 are arranged 1n like locations at the other end of the holder 4 and function to position the band 2| about the leg group at this end of the holder 4. Thus dual tensioning means are introduced at the ends of the hat holder in predetermined locations. Each tensioning means works independently of the other, and the band20 restrains movement of the tongue I2 when the legs 6, I and 8 are moved about their respective score lines,.while band 2I acts .inthe Vsame capacityin regardto .legs 9, I0 and I I. Y YThe band notch locations have been carefully determined to avoid weakening of the blank divisions and to place the bands in positions for most effectively transmitting their resilient forces to the connected blank parts that cooperate to hold a hat. Notches 22-23 and 26-27 are all offset with respect to the adjacent leg score lines to prevent the bands from cutting through or into the blank `along such score lines. But these notches arealso cut in adjacent the outer swingable ends of these legsso as to move a greater distance ,out .of the general plane of the blank. The notches 2&-25 and 2&-29 are located near to the basescore lines of the legs 'I and I0 respectively tohold the portions of the bands 2G and 2! looped about these legs in close proximity to the general placeV of the blank bas 5. rThe blank B may be secured to the inside of the cover in any desirable manner but a suggested method is to cement or glue the cross-shaped base 5 to such box-cover Thus this central cross division of the blank 'B is held at against the cover with the attached legs being capable of moving upwardly out of this cover plane. Therefore, the notches 2425 and 2829 are each offset longitudinallyoutwardly with respectto the base 5 to establish clearance for the `portions of.` the rubber band loops that pass under legs T and IIJ.

Since legs 6 to are all of the same length and arranged'as shown the movements of the tongues l2 and I3 are parallel with respect to the cover I, and they move longitudinally inwardly toward each other so that the tongues will engage over the inner edge of the hat band 3| of the hat '3 as bestillustrated in Fig. 1." The rubber bands 20 and 2| vwill then approach their maximum tensioning positions holding the'outer terminal ends of the tongues respectively outwardly to en-v gage the inner opposite walls ofthehat crown with the tongues over and above portions of the action of the holder when the legs are well raised as in Fig. l. When the tongues are so located they may move outwardly or inwardly within a substantial range without `affecting the elevation of the tongues under these relative positions so that the holder will automatically adlust itself to the different hat sizes and act to effectively retain the same with the tongues moving out or in as governed bythe crown sizes and at the same time such tongues will move to the crown walls to abut over the inner edge of the hat band as described and as best seen in Fig. 1. Additional compensatory action is further possible when the inherent flexibility of the :tongue ends is taken into consideration whenv such tongues are brought into hat holding positionl within the hat crown,

By using the fingers of`one"hand to engage opposite pairsof the leg sets the tongues are raised and drawn togetherv to freely receive a hat crown thereover as placedin this position by the other hand. Moving the hat down toward the cover will cause the tonguesto snap over Vthe hat band 3l to urge the hat brim in the direction of the cover thus holding the hat adjacentto the cover. Placing the cover upon the box bottorri 2 centers the hat holder and obviously the hat as well. The general elliptical contour of the i tongue ends blends into the hat crown shape as best seen in Fig. 2 allowing little, if any, chance of rota-tion of the hat about the Vertical `medial axis of the hat and hat box. i

Sonie back and forth motion of the hat in the longitudinal direction of the blank B and box 2 is permissible bythe rockable leg sets, but collapse of the legs is only limitedly allowable by the tongue or tongues against the' edge 30 of the hat band 3| so as to prevent the hat brim or any part thereof from contacting the box periphery or wall.

To release the hat the fingers of one hand may be moved under one side of the hat brim `to move any two of the legs of the opposite legisets toward the middle of the blank B `causing the tongues l2 and I3 to slide off the edge 30 of the band 3| thus freeing Vthe hat forremoval by the 6 otherl hand. The hand yused t'omove the legs will also function to hold the cover and holder whileA the hat is being removed.` The rubber bands 20 and 2| will thencollapse the endimovableassemblies in the direction of the original co-planar relations of the parts so thatthe latter may be left in this position or later raised to receive the same or some other hat.

In Fig. 7,all`parts of the hat holder 4 are the same except that suchholder is secured to the bottom 32 of a hat box 33fclosed by a suitable cover 34. i f

InFig. 8 the hat holder 4a is die 'cut out of the Vtop wall 34 ofthe cover 35 of thehat box 36.

This would leave openings such as 31 and 38 so' it is Vdesirable to add a' closure or cover board 39 which can be cemented, glued or stapled to the top wall 34 to finish oifthe box and to cover the openings createdeby blanking the hol-der parts.

to the hat holder construction of the present invention shall be governed by the breadth and scope of the language and limitations of the appended claims directed to this invention.

' WhatIclaim is: i

. 1. A `hat holder for retaining a hat with its open side disposed adjacent to a surface of a hat box, comprising a pair of tongues adapted for independent bodily movement in predetermined separate paths over said surface, and a plurality of leg members pivotally carried by said box and pivotally connected with each of said tongues respectively, said leg members for each tongue comprising a group arranged in staggered connected positions between the associated tongue and said box to suspend said tongue for bodily actuation into edge contact upon the upstanding free end of the sweat band of a hat. l

2. A hat holder connected with one surface of a hat box to retain a hat with its open side facing saidsurface, comprising two movable assemblies adapted for independent movement rela` tive to each` other and with respect to the aforesaid surface, said assemblies each compris- `ing swingable staggered legs movable out of the plane of said hat box surfaceand about parallel axes, said legs being ofequal lengths, and a tongue connecting the free ends of said legs and having swinging movement relative to said legs about axes spaced and arranged as the aforesaid parallel axes and in parallelism therewith, said tongue comprising means for engaging over the upper edge of a sweat band of a hat while in contact with the hat Vcrown adjacent the aforesaid edge to hold said hat by said band.

3. A hat holder connected with one surface of a hatbox to retain a hat with its open side facing said surface, comprising two movable assemblies adapted for independent movement relative to each other and with respect to the aforesaid surface, said assemblies each comprising swingable staggered legs movable out of the plane of said hatbox surface and about parallel axes, said legs being of equal lengths, and a tongue connecting the free ends of said legs and having swinging movement relative to said legs about axes spaced and arranged as the aforesaid parallel axes and in parallelism therewith, said tongue comprising means for engaging over the upper edge of a sweat band of a hat while in contact with the hat crown adjacent the aforesaid edge to hold said hat by said band for i each assembly, and a resilient band connected `with said staggered legs thereof to normally urge the latter into the plane i fof said box surface whereby the connected tongue All other deviations and modicationsrelating deemed;

7- is biased towardthe Crown;l within 'said hat and against said edge ofsaid sweatA band of; the hat.

4. A hat holder, connected withy one sur-face of a hat box toA retain a hat with its open side facing; saidsurface, comprising two movable, assemblies adapted; for independent movement; relative to eachother and withY respect to the aforesaid surface, said assemblies each comprising swingable staggered legs movable out of the plane of said hat, box surface and aboiit'parallelY axes, saidlegs being ofequal lengths, and a tongue connecting the free ends of said legs and having swinging,movement' relative, to said legs about axes spaced and arranged as the aforesaid parallelraxes and in parallelism therewith, said tongue comprising means for engaging over the upper edge of a sweat bandl of a hat while in contact with the hat crown adjacent the aforesaid edge to hold said hat by` said band'for each assembly,

anda resilient band connected with said staggered legs thereof to normally urgethe latter into the plane of said box surface whereby theconnected tongue is biased toward the crown withinsaid -hat and against said edgel of said sweat band of the hat, said legs having notched-edges to receive portions of said resilient band therethrough to positivelyV retain said lband in operative relation during the relative movements of said legs.

5. A hat holder connected with one surface of a hat box to retain a hat with its open side facing saidsurface, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, cooperative means each comprising a plurality of legs pivotally connected. with `said one box surface for movement about a first set-of spaced parallel axes, said legs having pivotal connections with one ofsaidY movable Vmembers on spacedaxes parallel to each other and with respect to said iirst set of axes whereby said member is movable in successive parallel planes having predetermined spaced relations with respect' to said box sur-face and with re spect to each other, and independently operable means connected with each of` said members to bias thesame-in-a direction relatively outwardly within a hat crown and along said successive parallell planes into edge contact; with spaced points along the free inner peripheral Vedge of thesweat band of said hat.

6. A. blank for-a hat holder comprising a length ofV flatiboard, a plurality of slits cut adjacent each end of said board andV spaced from said ends thereof extending lengthwise of said board, parallel transverse scores formedl in said board between said slits and from Vthe slits to the board edges respectively with the latter scores'disposed in staggered relation withiespect to the afore- V said scores to provide swingable staggered leg sections movable out of the plane of said board, the intermediate portion of said board between the slits comprising a base for attaching said board to a hat box, and the end portions o f said beard beyond said slits providing spaced tongues eaehiconnected with the free ends of said swingable leg sectionsv at each end of, the board respectively and bodily movable toward and away from each other out ofthe plane of said board and base to function asretaining means to contact portions of a hat structure.

7. A blank for aY hat holder comprising a length each end of said boar-d and spaced from said Y ends thereof and extendingY lengthwise of` saidboard, parallel transverse scores formed in said.

board ibetween said slits and from the slits to,

the board .edgesA respectivelywithfthe lattijfscores disposed in staggered relation with respect tothe aforesaid scores to provideswingable staggered leg; sections movable out of the plane of said board', the intermediate. portion of. said board between the slits comprising a base for attaching said boardI to a hat box, and the end portions'of, said board beyond said slits providing spacedA tongues veach connected with the free ends` of; the swingable leg sections at each end of saidi boardV respectively and bodily movable toward and,V away from each other out of the plaine-.ofi said board. andbase to function as retainingn means to contactv portions of a hat structure;V certain of said legs having notches cut therein to'receive a .resilient band to normally hold the legs inthe plane of said board and base.

8, In a1 hat` conning and protecting means including ahatcarrying surface and a hat, said hatbeing. positioned with its crown located away fromggsaid carrying surface and with its head opening;V facing Saidsurface to dispose the sweat band ofthe hat; adjacent said surface, the im-Y provement consistingof a hat holder in the form of a ilat blank comprising a base connected with said hat carrying surface, a plurality of legs connected for swinging movement with respect to one portionof; said base and disposed within saidhead opening of the hat, a plurality of legs connected for swinging movement with respect to another portion Vof said base and disposed withinA the head opening of said hat, and ledge members connected with the swingable ends of each plurality of legs respectively for disposition withinY the head opening of the hat and against spaced portions of the crown thereof, with portions of said ledge members engaging over the sweat band of the hat to hold the latter fagainst said hat carrying surface of said conlining and protecting means.

9. In a` hat confining and protecting means including a hat carrying surface and a hat, said hat being positioned with its crown located away Y from said carrying surface and with its head opening facing said surface to dispose the sweat .band of the hat adjacent said surface, the improvement consisting of a hatholder in the form of a flat blank comprising a base connected with said hat4 carrying surface, a plurality of legs connected for swinging movement with respect to one portion ofY said base and disposed'rwithin said head opening of the hat, a plurality of legs connected for swinging movement with respect to another portion of said base and disposed within thehead opening of said hat, and ledge members connected with the swingable ends of each plurality of legs respectively for dispositionl within the head opening of the hat and against spaced portions of the crown thereof, with portionsv ofy saidv ledge members engaging over the sweat band of the hat to hold the latter against said hat carrying surface of said confining and protecting means, and tensioning means interposedbetween said ledge members and said base with .said tensioning means constructed and arranged to normally urge said ledge members against said hat crown and in the direct-ionrofthe base so as to maintain the'ledge members in contact'with the upper edge of the sweat band of the hat.

10; A hat holder connected with one surface of ajhatV box to'.` retain a hat with its open side facing saidrsurface, comprising two movable assemblies-` adapted for independent movement relative to `each other and with respect to the aforesaidV surface, said assemblies eachl compris-N ing' swingable staggered legs attached Yto said box surface, a ledge connecting said legs andV bodily movable upon the swingable ends of said legs, and resilient means connected with the swingable ends of certain of the legs and extending diagonally to the attached box surface end of a staggered leg for connection with said leg and to urge all of said legs in a direction to actuate said ledge into contact with the upper peripheral edge of a sweat band within a hat.

11. A hat holder for a hat box comprising a box Wall portion, two movable assemblies adapted for independent movement relative to each other and with respect to the said wall portion, each assembly comprising a plurality of legs each pivotally connected with said wall portion at points staggered laterally with respect to each other and in the direction of movement of the assembly, and a ledge pivotally supported upon the outer swingable ends of said legs of each assembly and arranged to contact the inside of the hat crown adjacent the inner free edge of the sweat band of a hat and to engage the inner edge of said band.

PAUL E. NELSON.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 731,567 Hecht June 23, 1903 777,921 Rubin Dec. 20, 1904 796.104 Baker Aug. 1, 1905 873,490 Bock '1 Dec. 10, 1907 1,591,629 Huye July 6, 1926 1,999,361 James et al Apr. 30, 1935 2,042,889 Friedler June 2, 1936 2,115,633 Huye Apr. 26, 1938 2,136,744 Huye Nov. 15, 1938 2,185,605 Murphy et al. Jan. 2, 1940 2,283,709 Van Ness May 19, 1942 

